Keyword Research

Keyword research turns guesses into evidence. You start with a few ideas and end with a shortlist of queries worth targeting. The tricky part is knowing what each metric really means, and which tool it came from.

Inputs, outputs, and metrics

The input is a seed keyword, a broad word your customer might type. The output is a list of related queries with numbers attached. Free sources include Google autocomplete, People Also Ask boxes, and Google Trends.

The metrics you will see most:

• Search volume: an estimate of monthly searches. Treat it as a range, not a fact.
• Keyword difficulty: a score from tools like Ahrefs or Semrush. Each tool builds it its own way.
• Long-tail keyword: a longer, specific query with lower volume but clearer intent.

Keyword difficulty is a vendor model, not a Google number. In June 2026, Google added guidance reminding site owners that third-party tools lack access to its ranking data. Use these scores to compare options, not to predict results.

Keyword research for SEO vs for Google Ads

Keyword Planner lives inside Google Ads, so beginners assume it is an SEO tool. It was built for advertisers. Its “Competition” column measures how many advertisers bid, not how hard organic ranking is.

Its bid columns show a top of page bid range in pesos. Google describes the low and high values as roughly the 20th and 80th percentile of past bids. Accounts with little ad spend often see wide volume ranges, like 1K to 10K, instead of exact counts.

For SEO, you care about intent and what already ranks. For ads, you care about cost per click and buyer intent. The same keyword list can lead to different choices.

Example

A Quezon City café starts with the seed “kape.” Autocomplete suggests “kapeng barako,” “iced coffee near me,” and “coffee shop with wifi.” Keyword Planner shows “coffee shop with wifi” has low ad competition. For SEO, the café checks the results page and finds blog lists ranking. It writes a guide to work-friendly cafés in its area.

For hands-on practice building your own list, follow the linked lesson.